Rail-joint.



H. F. RGAGH.

BAIL JOINT.

ArPLIoATIon Hman 00T. 14, 1009.

954,649. Patented Apr. 12,1910.

B SHEETS-SHEET 2.

@PM ,saw a@ H. F. ROACH.

RAIL JOINT,

APPLwATIoN Hmm oo'r. 14,

direction,

invention; Fig. 2 isa top HARRY F. BOACH, 0F ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

BAILJOINT.

Specification o! Letters :Patent Patented A111'. 12, 1910.

Application I11ed October 14, 1909. Serial No. 522,638.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY F. Renon, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at St. Louis,l\lis`souri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Rail-Joints, of which thc following is a full, clear, and oxact description. such as will enable'others skilled in the art lo which it appertains to make and use the same.

Thisy invention relates to rail-joints, and particularlyr to rail-joints of that t pe which are provi( ed with a wheel-tree y that extends across the joint between the ends of the abutting rails so as to reinforce and strengthen the rails at the joint and also provide a bearing surface for the wheels.

One object of my present invention' 1s to provide a rail-joint of the type referred to which is so designed that it can be made comparatively light but still be strong enou h to withstand the strains to which 1t is su jected under normal conditions without liability of breakage.

Another objectis to rovide a trussed rail-joint that lies entire y above lthe track ties on which the joint rests. y

Another object is to provide a braced railjoint that can be used either as a suspended or a supported joint, and having means for receiving the usual bolts that pass transversely through the track rails.

Another' object is to rovide a .rail-joint' comprising a base providjed with an integral web arranged on one side of the rails for preventing lateral movement thereof in one web, and openings in said base through which spikes .or other suitable members pass to engage the base Hanges of the rails and thus prevent them from moving laterally in the o 'posite direction, said openin being omp etely surrounded by the meta in the use.

Other objects and desirable features of my invention will be hereinafter ointed out.

Fi ure 1 is a side elevationa view of 'a rail-joint constructed in accordance with my plan view partly in horizontal section o e rail-joint shown in Fi 1; Fig. 3 is'an endelevational view of said joint; Fig. 4 is a lvertical crossfsectional view taken on a proximately the line 4-4 of Fig. 1 Fig. 5 is a vertical cross sec-vV tional view taken on approximately the' line member a wheel-tread member on said` 5-5 of Fig. 1 and Fig. G is a perspective view of the splice bar. y

Referring to the drawings which illustrate the preferred form of my invention, A designates, a base Vplate that rests onl the trac( ties tf and forms a support Afor the abutting rails 2. Said base plate is provided with an inte ral portion 3 that partiallv laps over the ase flanges of the rails, as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, and a vertically disposed web 4 -is integrally connected to the inner edge of said overlappin ortion 3, saidvertical web being provided at its up ier edge with a wheel-tread member B. is wheel-tread member B extends across the joint between the ends of the rails so as to reinforce and stren hen the end portions of the rails and a so provide a tread surface for a wheel that passes over the joint, and said wheel-tread member is so formed that it will permit a perfect, Hat or double-flanged wheel to pass over the joint without subjecting the rolling stock to a perceptible or excessive er endicular shock or jar, the term doub eange being used to designate a lwheel whose tread surface has become worn to such a degree that it is approximately concave or channelshaped in cross section, as shown in Fig. 3. The top face or 'wheel-treadfsurfaoe of the member B is ofgreatest width adjacent the joint between diminishes opposite en said top face or wheel-tread surface also varying radually from an ap roxixnately horizonte plane at the center of) said member to an inclined plane at the ends of said member so as to produce a Wheel-tread surface of varying angular-ity. In other words, the wheel-tread surface of the member B twists gradually from an inclined surface at each end of said member into an approximately horizontal surfacc at the center of said member so that .when a doubleflanged wheel reaches the member B it will pass onto same without a perceptible' vertical shock or jar and be shifted laterally by the gradual variation in the shape of the whecltread surface of the member B. VIt will thus be seen that the twisting wheel-tread surface of the member .B not only forms a substantialsup ortin surface for an imperfect or doubleange wheel while it is passthe ends of the rails and then i, radually in width toward its sas shown clearly rin Fig. 2, r

., lends of said ribs being ilared outwardly and `int 1 enouto prevent the outer flange from engagmg A:as

Ving outwar ly when the rails 2 exert exj under loads but which is strong enough to ""'-"ties, as shown in Fi 1, so as to produce what is commonly ca led a sus )ended joint. I also i .with a aterally pro'ectingpart 7 arranged "midway, between t e laterally pro`ect1ng upon-a track tie plated underneath the joint Y V'dtice a supported joint.

l. clirred` ribs 9 whose lower ends are connected m59 15136, the u'xper end o? said vertical rib aan? merging ina) ing over ,the joint but said surface also acts j as a guide to cause a double-flanged wheel I to be gradually; shifted laterally, and thus j revent the outer flange of the wheel from 4 hearing on the member B in such a manner that the wheel is subjected to an excessive r perpendicular shock. A construction of this j character causes an imperfect or doublej flanged wheel to pass over thejoint smoothly irres ective of the lateral osition of the whee relatively to the rail orif the outer flange or double flange of the wheel hugs the rail when the wheel reaches the member Bthe twisting tread surface of said member will cause the wheel to shift laterally far the member B in such a manner that the w eel is subjected to an excessive vertical shock. i x A pair of oppositely inclined braces F5, which are arranged on the outer face of the web 4 and overlapping portion 3 of the base, strengthen said parts and also stitlefn the base,v the upper ends of said ribs `being integrally connected to the central portion of the Wheel-tread member B, and the lower ally connected to laterally projecting portions 6 of the base A. These ribs 5, of course, strengthen the wheel-tread member transmit the strains 'to which said member is subjected directly to the base, and as said ribs are flared outwardly they serve as lateral reinforcements' for the wheel-tread member B and the web to which it is connected and revent said parts from deflectcessive lateral pressure on the same.

By referrin to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the upper en s of the o positely inclined diagonal ribs 5 are space apart instead of bei? integrally connected together, thereby pr ucing a structure that can deflect slightly withstand the strains to which -it is subjected under normal conditions.

The'laterally projecting portions of the lbase A are so arranged that when they bear 0n two track ties the joint between the ends of the rails will be located intermediate said refer to provide the ase plate A portions 6 of the base so that it w1ll rest vbetween the ends ofthe rails 2 an'd A,thus pro- At approximately the middle of the vertical web 4` is a vertical rib 8 which merges into two oppositely in- 1tothe laterally projecting ortions 6 of the e under side of the wheelprojecting part 7 of the bnse and the in.

clined ribs 9 so as to reinforce and strengthen the joint at that point where the greatest de flection is liable `to occur in a suspended joint, said ribs 10 also assisting the inclined ribs and the vertical web to carr their load in a suspended joint. The inc ined ribs 9 co serate Vwith the base to form a truss that bri ges the space between the laterally projecting track tieengaging portions U; and the vertical rib 8, which is inter osed between this truss and the wheel-tree member B, acts as a strut that transmits the stresses which the wheel-tread member is subjected to, directly to said truss.

By reinforcing the web ltand the arts` s-4 sociated therewith in lthe anner above escribed I produce a st ucture which is capable of withstanding great downward stresses and latefal stresses without liability of breaking under normal loads, and said reinforcing means are so located that sutilcient space isY provided for the bolts 11 which are usually passed transversely through the webs of the rail so as to limit theamovement of the rails caused by eX- pansion and contraction of the rails and also assistito retain them in position. That is to say, the inclined ribs 9 and lvertical ribs 8 and 10 impart sufficient strength to the wheel-tread member B and the vertical web 4 at the middle thereof that it is possible to arrange the inclined ribs 5 far enough away from the transverse center of said web and wheel-tread member to rovide a suflicient clearance between the ri s for the bolts 11 which pass transversely throu h the web 4 and through the track rails. prefer to arl ran e the two intermediate bolts 11 with their hea s on the outside of the web 4, as shown in Fig. 1, 'and the two end bolts 11. with their' nuts 12 on the outside of said web. The under side of the wheel-tread member B is provided with recesses 13 and the outer surface of theoverlapping, portion 3 ofthe base plate is recessed atl14 directly underneath the end bolts so as to provide a clearance for thenuts' 12 and thus permit them 4to be turned on the bolts, the side face of the wheel-tread member B being cut away adjacent the recesses 13, as indicated by the reference character 16, so as to permit a track wrench to be used to turn the nuts 12.

The inner faceof the wheel-tread member B bears against the side faces of the heads ofthe rails, as shown in Fig. 4,' and the vertical web 4 is provided on its inner face with a raised bearing surface 17 which is adapted to bear upon the base flan es of a `thickenec't portion 'lrsnrflis'A teasing;

j j i me. strengthen Ywww# thikaaedrert aiziv aussen 18 lies under the heads of the rails but it is ,not` intended to contact directly with said heads although it is in'nnatcrial if said thickened portion bears against the heads at the terminals of the rails; namely, at the joint between the abutting ends of the rails. It' is essential, however, that this thickened portion 18 does not bear against the heads of the rails throughout its entire length in View of the fact that the hase plate is so designed that the rails can deflect slightly when a load is imposed on saine, as herein after described. The overlapping portion 3 of the base, the vertical web 4, and tlnwheel-tread member B prevent thc rails from moving laterally in one direction, and said rails are prevented from moving laterally in the opposite direction by means of spikes 19 or other suitable members which pass through openingsl formed in laterally projecting lugs- 2O on the hase plate, the heads of said spikes lapping over the basa flanges of the rails, as shown clearly in Fig. 3. The laterally projecting portions (l of the base ,are also provided with openings 21 through which spikes 2Q pass to connect said base plate to the track ties. In view of the fact that the openin s through which the spikes 19 pass are comp etely Surrounded by portions of the base plate, the lateral stresses which the flanges of the rails exert on said spikes will be transmitted to the base plate and thus bring the spikes :'22 on the opposite sideof the base plate into serv ice, said spikes 19 and 22 thus cooperating directly with each other to retain the base plate in position and also prevent the rails from moving laterallv in one direction.

If desired, a splice bar 23 can be arranged on one side of the webs of the rails, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, but the main function of this splice bar is to hold the bolts l1 in proper position as the spikes 1f) constitute the chief means for preventing the rails from moving laterally away from the wheeltreadmember.

The intermediate portion of the hase plate is preferably thickened at 24, as shown in Fig. Q, so as to impart great strength to the base plate at this point, and raised bearings 25 and 26 are formed on the base plate adjacent the center and ends thereof, respectively, Eor the base flanges of the rails, the terminals of the rails resting on the raised bearing 9,5 at the center of the base plate, and the bearings :2G being normally spaced away from the base flanges of thc rails so as to permit the rails to deflect slightly when they are sub'eeted to downward pressure.

The wheel-tread member B preferably conforms to the side face of the rail heads so that a Wide joint will not be formed between said member and the rails, and the part of said member that partially laps over the upper corner of the rail head, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, is notched out at 27, as shown in Fig. 1, adjacent the joint between the rails so that the metal in said overlapping portion will not be jammed down into said joint and thus prevent the rails from expanding. A joint of the construction above described overcomes the necessity of spacing the track ties during the operation of relaying rails or building a new track for every portion of the joint lies above the top faces of the track tics. Furthermore, said joint is ver' strong and capable of carrying great loads for the base plate A acts as the tension member of a truss whose compression members consist of the oppositely inclined diagonal ribs 9.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as newl and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a rail-joint, a rail-supporting base provided willi a portion that partially laps over the base flanges of the rails which rest on the base, a web on said overlapping portion provided with a wheel-'tread member, a

air of laterally projecting portioi s .in said )ase which are adapted to rest on track ties, a truss bridging the space between said laterally projecting portions, and a strut interposed between said truss and the Wheel-tread member.

2, in a rail-joint, a base provided with a vertical webfa Wheel-tread member carried by Said web, laterally projecting portions on said base which are adapted to rest on track ties, oppositely inclined braces interposed between said wheel-tread member and laterally projecting portions and having their lower ends flared outwardly, a truss bridging the portions and connected to the thickened ortions of the base, and a strut interpose between said truss and wheel-tread member.

3. In a rail-joint, a base provided with a` web whose upper edge is thickened, laterally projecting portions on said base which are adapted to restr on track ties, a. truss bridging the space between said laterally projecting portions and connected to the thickened. portion of said web, and op ositely inclmcd braces connected to the thidljiened portion of said web and having their lower ends tlared outwardly and connected to the laterally projecting portions oi said base.

4. In a rail-joint', a rail support that lies entirely above the track ties, a vertical web on said support that lies on one side of the webs of thc rails which rest upon said support, said web being provided at its upper edge with a thickened portion, members arranged between the rail support and the thickened portion of said weband cooperating with said support to form a truss, and a strut interposed between said truss and the thickened portion. on said web.

llt)

5. In a rail-joint, a rail-supportin base, a vertical web on said base rovide at its upper edge with a thickene portion, latera ly projecting members on said base which are adapted to rest on a pair of spaced track ties. members that coperate with the base to form a truss which bridges the space between said tie-engaging members, a strut interposed between said truss and the thickened portion on said web, and oppositcljr inclined braces interposed between said thickcned ortion and base.

(i. n a rail-joint, a vertical web provided with a wheel tread member that extends across the joint between the ends of the rails,

4a truss arranged above the track ties on Which the rails rest, and means for transmitting the stresses which said wheel -tread member is subjected to directly to said truss.

7. In a rail-joint, a base having a web that carries a wheel-tread member, members connected to said base and coperatin with to form a supporting truss, an a strut interposed between said truss and Wheeltrea member.

8. In a rail-joint, a base for supporting the rails, a vertical web on said base provided with a Wheel-tread member that extends across the joint between the ends of the rails, members on the upper side of the base that cooperate with the base to Yform a truss, and a strut interposed between said truss and the wheel-tread member on said Web.

9. In a rail-joint, a base having a vertical web that is provided adjacent its upper edge with a thickened portion, oppositely inclined diagonal ribs on the outer face of said web which have their upper ends spaced away from each other and their lower ends flared outwardly and connected to said base, and a pair of independent oppositely inclined ribs connected at their lower ends to the base at a point above the track tics and having their upper ends merging into a vertical strut which is connected to the thickened portion on said web.

10. In a rail-joint. an approximately flat base whose under side is free from depending projections or portions that prevent the base from being moved transversely of the tics on which it rests` a continuous web on said base whose length is at least equal to the distance between the pair ot' spaced track tics, said web having a thickened portion` and a bracing means arranged between the base and the thickened portion on the web and consisting ot' an approxii'natcly vertically1 disposed strut whose lower end is connected to a pair of oppositeljY inclincddi` agonal ribs that bear directly on the base.

11. A rail-joint comprising a truss which consists of an approximately flat tension member that lies entirely above the top faces of the track ties, and oppcsitely inclined therei compression members that have their upper ends` connected together and their lower ends connected to said tension member, a web carried by said tension member and provided with a thickened portion, and a strut interposed between said thickened portion and the compression members of said truss.

l. ln a-rail-joint. a rail support having an approximately fiat under side that lies entirely above the top faces of the track ties upon which the sup )ort rests, a vertical web that vlies at one suie of the rails that rest upon the support, said web being provided with a longitudinally extending thickened portion, and oppositely inclined strengthening devices on one side ot said web having their lower ends connected to the support and their up )er ends connected together and terminating lielow the thickened portion on said web.

13. In a rail-joint, a rail support having an approximately flat under side that lies entirely above the top faces of the track ties upon which the support rests, a vertical web carried by said support and rovided with a longitudinally extending thickened portion, an approximately inverted V-shaped strengthening device on said web connected at. its lower end to the support, and a vertically disposed member interposed between thenipper end of said strengthening device and the thickened portion on said web.

14. A rail-joint, comprising a truss that is arranged above the track ties, a vertical web carried b v said truss and arranged on one side ot the webs ot' the rails, a Wheel-tread member on said vertical web that extends across the oint between the ends of the rails, and a strut arranged between said truss and said wheel-tread member.

l5. In a rail-joint, a base.y aA vertical web on said base provided with a thickened portion, a pair ot spaced tie-engaging Wings or Hangers that project laterally trom one edge of the base, and a stress-transmitting means arranged between said tlanges and the thickened portion on the web and consisting of a vertically disposed strut and ojfipositcly inclined diagonal ribs connected at their up-A per ends to said strut and at their lower ends to said laterally projecting wings or flanges.

16. ln a rail-joint, a vertical web that lies on one side of the webs of the rails, said web being provided adjacent its upper edge with a thickened portion, a supporting truss arranged entirely above the track ties and having a tension member on which the rails rest, and a stress-transmitting means arranged between said trnss and the thickcned portion on said web.

1T. ln a rail-joint, abutting rails` a rigid base plate provided with an integral raised portion on which the` normally rest,

raised Surfaces away from the base ianges of the rails so 5 as to form e supportfor the rails when they l are deleoted by u l In testimony whereof I hereunto eiiix my l Correction in Letters Patent No. 954,649.

terminals of the rails and independent integral that are normally spaced this eleventh day of October 115309.

HARRY F. ROAH,

VWi ineesee:

Weines L. CHURHH,

load passing over same.

Gnomes BAKHWELL,

l It is hereby certified that in Lettere Patent Nm9541649, granted April l2, ,1910, uporil the application of. Harry F. Roach, of St. Louis., Missouri, foi` an improvev ment in Rail-Joints, an error appears in the printed speciiczztion requiring correction as follows: Page 3, line 101i, the words "portions and connected to the thickened ehould he stricken out and the words spree@ between t/e rzte-rally projecting inserted instead; and that the seid Leiters Patent should be reed with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

signed and Setiembre mh dey of May, A. e, me.

C. C. BILLINGS, Acting Commessz'cmer off Patents.

[SEAL] signature in the presence of two witnesses,

portion on which the` normally rest,

raised Surfaces away from the base ianges of the rails so 5 as to form e supportfor the rails when they l are deleoted by u l In testimony whereof I hereunto eiiix my l Correction in Letters Patent No. 954,649.

terminals of the rails and independent integral that are normally spaced this eleventh day of October 115309.

HARRY F. ROAH,

VWi ineesee:

Weines L. CHURHH,

load passing over same.

Gnomes BAKHWELL,

l It is hereby certified that in Lettere Patent Nm9541649, granted April l2, ,1910, uporil the application of. Harry F. Roach, of St. Louis., Missouri, foi` an improvev ment in Rail-Joints, an error appears in the printed speciiczztion requiring correction as follows: Page 3, line 101i, the words "portions and connected to the thickened ehould he stricken out and the words spree@ between t/e rzte-rally projecting inserted instead; and that the seid Leiters Patent should be reed with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

signed and Setiembre mh dey of May, A. e, me.

C. C. BILLINGS, Acting Commessz'cmer off Patents.

[SEAL] signature in the presence of two witnesses,

Correction in Letters Patent No. 954,649.

IL is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 954,649, granted April i2, 1910, uponlv the application of Harry F. Roach,'of Si). Louis, Missouri, fo`r an improvement in Rail-Joints, an error appears in the printod specification requiring correction as follows: Pago 3, line104, the words "portions and connected to the thickened should be strickon out und the words space et-wan Me laterally v1-@ending inserted instead; and that the said Lettms Patent should bo road with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oilice.

signed and sealedmis mh day of May', A. D., 1910.

C. C. BILLINGS, Actzng Omnmssioner of Paten ts.

[SEAL] 

